Telegram-herald., 1887-06-02
Reasons Given for Fol
let's Flight.
His Dsfalcztion May Amount
% $4,000.
The Victims Mostly Helpless
Widows AMI Orphans
De sssiznatios Tsadsred ths Gss-
cfnor--tfis Successor % be sp-
pointed Today tto~ ne
0zmbled-Pubiic
Opinion.

TIE sudsien ard mYstsFieus disappear-
snos of Judge ef Probate Lyman .. Fol
lstL vas ths general topic OF discussion
On tbs streets. al tho hotels. and in ogice
yesterday. aud ss he matter became moss
pubic the list - victina grew larger snd
ths saofmiY 81 his crime aln0st staggered
thoss Who a E-ss ~srs loth - bslssss se-
poFts Of bis Shortcomings aud attributed
them solely - Idle g0ssip-in shers tAe
worst ~ lie Fanors wess ulors th2a vefi-
rsd
Ths fssi sesion Of Me Foiistt was -
csived IS Governor Luce yesterday morn
inx says 0oc ia Authority; BAT this cannot
possibly be nua a. the tollosinz letisr
iEom ths Chief Essoal.se came % ne
Probate Coart oflcs ysssssisy mornioS
Aon. Lsn,es y. Ioiisfe
Dsas sir Ioaf letter Of May - rmis--
ing The position Of Judge Of Prooass for
Kent county. sscei yed. Under sec1loa $50
OF H0~eiFs Annotated statutes. IL aoaid
appear that oelefe I an authorized to a2-
poial person - ia vacancy caused by
the resignafion OF . Jadge Of PEo6ate, IL
viii Be necessa<y that notice OF such va
cancy should De made 20 ms by the Ccangy
Clerk Of yoaf county. When this Is done
snail then be authorized TO app - .ss-
son - nli the vacancy.
Very truly yours.
q. q. LCcx Governor.
The general report aud one which Is
givsa eEssieucs Is that the resignaiiOa was
mai al nom lbs ely on Thursday night or
Friday morniog. IFS family claim that
the resignation was written Dy Mr. Follett Ia
Chicago and sent here 10 bis wife % be re-
mailed 10 the Governor. Tns attention OF
The family FsiztiYss vas called 20 the
mater ami 3. was the f-st suspicion they
had Of anything being wrong. Just here
comes shad0N Of doubt aud
that doaht gives rise 70 the rumor that the
resignation was written IN ibis city. aud
that Hr. foi.eft had 10 connection with II
whatever. Opinions on these matters difer
and tbose Who sh0ui1 speak auihorilively
plead entire izn0raaee-
On THURSDAY Mrs. Follett received a let
Ter irom hsr hcsoaad who was then In Chi
csx0. stating that 40 would not return TO
Grand Rapids. bUs assigning no reason
wasfever for s'arh q strsuEs procedure o.
sntimating where he intended going. The
hloU was severe one 10 his
Skka and she Is completely prostraled.
cha al known Of bis Whea.. gambling
urx1 ness. and bad often begged him 70 dis
eonLa1s it. which hs would promise 20 DO.
t1s ~ so3n as be would get down street aad
AL mo the company Of the men who
watch tne blsckbonds, he woald go into il
kSA4n. and Win Iu0rs losses IS the lnvari-
sbls f2uis When hs was at home Mrs
Fousfi could co0trol him, oGt when be was
swsy 3om ber nothing could check bis
anoktipn 10 enssEe ia the excitement Of the
~dezl-' lie was a regular correspondent. Of
. veil known bucket shop in Cbica.,o,
knowu a. Everinsham q Co. and received
bttsrsalmost daily from The concern. lie
va considered a regular customer. and the
daily QuotsElons were sert him IN printed
ho7gfopes hsarlng his name and address.
lie Was insane GA The subject OF wheat. and
for tho past thres months he has almost
wholly neglected. AIS business aud gwen
himself up % SPECULATION. lie has been
around the Office cur litt.s Of the time. and
every dollar be coald borrow or lay his
hands on Vas sunk ia the wheat hole.
which proved tL8 altelslr0m into which be
plunged eccklsssly.
The olfses 0f TIE PROBATE Court was visit
ed yesterday By larze number OF ps4s0ns,
some Of whom we're interested in estates.
some personal friends % Ir. Follstts and
some vito a desire 70 hsve The funlors
either verified OF denie,f. Ar inspection Il
the pagers ia the oflcc s10W thaf no records :
were kept OF moneys recctFel and il is
utterly impossible 80 estinlasssthe amount
Of money which Mr Follett has taken. bat
careful Judges place Il az from 5000 =
5000. Unanswered letters ia large num-
tsrs srs piled upon Mr.. foilett's dsss iis
which the wrifeTs-widoes Orphans and
iexstses -uaks inquiry way moneys rsii
into his hands bY sdmlnistfsfor1 asdi
othesz have not teen paid over 20
thefu. some ct the letters a-e
coached IA language which shows that tns
writers were "A ectIal need ~ the necessi-
lies Of liie sn1 were piiifiil IN The sxsrsuls.
Sonde of ar Foliett's deaiin<8 for the pEss
two years have been eysry peculiar aud
shew tba; his dishonesty il net something
Of resent origin. Among 0toer 0TEauszs-
tons 0f which he was as the head was the
Miaaenp.1lis Transfer Co. which IL proper
~ ananasei. would have proved paying
fnvestfnent. some people assert that the
compsny never actually existed except on
pager and that Fotlett made the ssssss-
ments and cciiecied stock srlserip-
nons. patting he smonat Ia his
owa r.cket Sc tbis As Il may, i : a fart
thst John Mcauewan. VI. J. Stgsft, u X
Rethhnn, chaisss 2. Rath5nn and wlssley
" Hide ali cf this city. were taken IN for
amounts ranging from S.N0 to s700 each
Iast rsll NJ Solicit masle A western trip
ard turned az In Miuneapoiis. He search
sd out some cid Grand Rapids people re-
siding there. aoiong them being + N Nc
Cord forrler hoof snd shoe merchant u
this eitv. 70 aim be told long story II
his troubles lie had been robted on sn
incoming train and IN Fr1of showed up an
empty rocSst bcok he desired arsfs
for SfS0 csshsd snd vas rssdiiv scron no
dated an hour or two aisr he woke ID
Iahn Wsrisli. Who va representing Mills
a fsrevs Spa Hotf.iaz Company IN that
city and toll aim TIE sane story- He en-
listed his sympathy. o. 8ir, u9 oui ~ Pei.
and IN exchanze for toe $50 Wenieli -.
ceisesf drsfton tie Fnnrtn $fiiensl Ban <
cf this city The t4o TRAITS reched here
sbouf The same tirse and payment en- them
vas rsfuset Several letters were sent Mr.
F1iie1f ty the gentlemen. ort he rsid 70
attention 80 teen. }fsrifeli. having ausi-
ness IN this cifv. caiiei On Fosls.f and vas
rsfeived cordialls He i1qaired aoc1t tie
rm0uut and vas foid thst i bad
hen sent hiu the rrevious day. Arfviug
bcDls and &ntiing 20 DRAFT he lnale 40 has
min3 that he aad been anped. The tro
Tictin4 MC(anf and Wsrfssi. p1ciesl issues
sri sent The trafts % ~ astorner IN thfs
civ with instructions ~ 1rrest Foiisft f1r
obIEni14 nfore7 unsie~ "a 81 rrefenees 81 tbe
s,fonrt was nof ~ orse f0rt hc,euir~ Tbs
naf lke Desired elect and sffer several
-i~ifs and eoustapt irnport tarinz. the ffafts
esre pad 1n3 shs Minneapolis ns1 secured